October 23, 2009. Posted by Brandy Wood.

Morning Jazz host Gary Walker recently celebrated his 60th birthday, and the jazz community wasn’t the only one to recognize this important milestone. At Gary’s surprise birthday celebration, he received the following proclamation:

The Newark Municipal Council Hereby issues this resolution commending Gary Walker on the auspicious occasion of celebrating his 60th birthday on October 17, 2009 @ The Glenridge Community Center. The governing body joins with all residents of the city of Newark to extend heartfelt congratulations during this wholesome event

The debate was moderated by Doug Doyle, WBGO News Director since 1988, who has been covering New Jersey politics for the past 25 years. Doug and the WBGO News team have received over 200 awards from organizations like PRNDI, AP, New York Association of Black Journalists, Garden State Association of Black Journalists and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists. Doug began his radio career at WMJY in Long Branch, New Jersey where he eventually became news director at the station known as Y107 at that time. The next stop was WOBM-FM in Toms River, New Jersey. He spent ten years there, seven of them as news director. Doug teaches radio and news writing classes at Rutgers-Newark University and Brookdale Community College and can be heard regularly on National Public Radio where he provides the network with business news and breaking stories.

General assignment reporter and the afternoon/evening news anchor, Andrew Meyer, an award-winning journalist who’s been a member of the WBGO News department since 1998, was one of two reports posing questions to the candidates. In 2004, Andrew was a fellow at the University of Maryland's Knight Center for Specialized Journalism in a program called "Cities, Suburbs and Beyond." In 2001, he received a fellowship from the National Press Foundation in Washington D.C. to take part in a special four-day forum on housing and development issues. He is a past president of the New Jersey Associated Press Broadcasters' Association. Andrew is also a contributor to and a co-host of the WBGO Journal, a weekly news magazine produced by WBGO News airing Friday nights at 7:30. He also serves as the host of WBGO’s live, monthly call-in show with Mayor Cory Booker, Newark Today.

Phil Gregory, a recent addition to the WBGO team and a long time reporter in the tri-state area, was also asking questions of Christie, Corzine and Daggett. Phil anchored coverage of several major events including the 9-11 attacks and the 2003 blackout while at Bloomberg Radio in New York City. Phil also covered business and market news as a reporter from the New York Stock Exchange. Phil started his broadcast career at WAEB in Allentown, PA where he advanced to become News Director. He was an award winning reporter and anchor at radio stations WPTR, WFLY and WROW in Albany, NY and at WOBM in Toms River, NJ. Phil is a past President of the Empire State Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He covers the Statehouse and Central Jersey for both WBGO and WHYY in Philadelphia.

September 26, 2009. Posted by Amy Niles.

48 years ago, she was the opening act for Miles Davis ( well, according to her website, she WANTED to open for Miles but she didn't get the gig).

Lorraine Gordon, the owner of the Vanguard- has a deep philosophical connection to Streisand-they both share the same attitude about the causes they believe in and will stop at nothing for what they believe. Two dynamic women who have passions that transcend this business of music.

So, I approach Streisand's return to her acoustic, un- overproduced roots with optimism. Maybe she picked the Vanguard because she is finally ready to allow us to hear her instrument again. You can't hide anything at the Vanguard- Lorraine won't let you.

She has a new album. Diana Krall is on piano. She makes the connection singing Bernstein's "Some Other Time", a song recorded to perfection by Tony Bennett and the Vanguard's house pianist of that other time, Bill Evans. I reserve judgment until I hear it.

I am not going to her concert. I didn't even try to enter the lottery to get one of only 80 tickets. I will watch the video along with the gizillions of others next week, after she has had her chance to make sure that it is up to her standards.

Gee, when we make our monthly broadcast from the Vanguard, you get to hear and watch the artist live. Warts and all. That's jazz.